Well drilling apparatus



Nov. 15, 1960 P. J. SCOTT WELL DRILLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMarch 25, 1957 INVENTOR. PAUL. J. SCOTT MQ M ATTORNEYS Nov. 15, 1960 P.J. SCOTT WELL DRILLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1957INVENTOR. PAUL J. SCOTT M/QM ATTORNEYS FIG. 3

Nov. 15, 1960 P. J. scoTT WELL DRILLINGAPPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledMarch 25, 1957 INVENTOR. PAUL J. SCOTT M i f ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 15, 1960 P. J. SCOTT 2,960,311

WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed March 25, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VENTOR. PAUL J. SCOTT zmqlm ATTORNEYS WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Paul J.Scott, 406 /2 E. 4th St., Clare, Mich.

Filed Mar. 25, 1957, Ser. No. 648,152

1 Claim. (Cl. 255-19) This invention relates to well drilling apparatusand more particularly to an improved rotary spudder construction.

Apparatus of the general kind to which the invention pertainscustomarily is adapted to be fixed to one end of a length of drill pipehaving a bit at its other end and rotate the pipe so as to feed the bitinto the ground to drill a well. When the first length of pipe is fullyin the ground, the spudder is disconnected therefrom and connected toone end of another length of pipe, the other end of which may beconnected to the upper end of the first pipe length to constitute anextension of the latter and permit further drilling to a depth greaterthan the length of the pipe sections. The handling of the pipe sections,that is, their erection, connection to the spudder and their connectionto one another, is a laborious, expensive undertaking with apparatusknown heretofore. Accordingly, a principal object of this invention isto provide well drilling apparatus which greatly facilitates thehandling of pipe sections.

Known apparatus of the kind referred to includes drive means foreffecting rotation of a drill pipe secured States Patent to the spudder,but the drive means usually is located at some point, such as on a truckor on the ground, which is remote from the spudder. This arrangement isnot entirely satisfactory in all instances inasmuch as it frequently isinconvenient to locate the driving means for eflicient connection to thepipe 'or the spudder. object of this invention, therefore, is to providedrilling apparatus of the kind including a spudder and having its owndriving means intimately associated with the spudder.

Another object of the invention is to provide rotary spudder typedrilling apparatus and a rig for raising and lowering the spudder, thespudder and rig having cooperable means for guiding the spudder in itsmovements and counteracting drilling torque.

A further object of the invention is to' provide well Another drillingapparatus of the kind referred to which is simple in construction, easyto operate, and rugged and dependable in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed outspecifically or will become apparent from the following description whenit is considered in conjunction with the appended claim and theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of a drilling rigequipped with apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational View of the structure shown in Figure 1,and showing the relation of the parts during a drilling operation;

Figure 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view, partly in front elevation andpartly in section of a drilling spudder constructed in accordance withthe invention, certain parts being broken away for purposes ofillustration;

Figure 4 is a top plan View, partly in section, of the PParatus shown inFigure 3;

"ice

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the lines 55 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the lines 6-6 of Figure 4.

A portable well drilling rig adapted for use with apparatus constructedin accordance with the invention may include a mobile vehicle such as atruck T having a bed 1 on which is mounted a rear axle 2, the latterincluding journalling means for ground engaging wheels 3. At each sideand adjacent to the rear end of the truck bed 1 is provided one or morebrackets 4 to which corresponding ends of brace members 5 may beconnected, the other ends of the brace members 5 being connected tobrackets 6 secured at the upper end of a derrick or mast member 7composed of a pair of parallel frame members 8 rigidly connected one toanother and reinforced by cross elements 9. At suitable intervals,bracing rods 10 may be connected to the members 5 and 8 to assist inmaintaining the mast 7 in its erected position as shown in Figures 1 and2. In the disclosed drilling rig, the mast 7 is provided with a basemember 11 at its lower end which is adapted to rest upon the ground, butit should be understood that the disclosed derrick apparatus as thus fardescribed is illustrative only and that other and diiierent derrickapparatus may be used.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, a pulley 12 isjournalled on a shaft 13 fixed at the upper ends of the frame members 8,and trained around the pulley is a hoist cable 14 having one of its endsprovided with a hook member 15 and its other :end made fast in anysuitable manner to a hoist drum 16, the drum 16 being mounted fast on ashaft 17 which is journalled in bearing members 18 mounted on the truckbed 1 and adapted to be driven by means of a conventional motor 19 toraise and lower the hook member 15.

The apparatus described thus far is not new per se, but has been usedpreviously in connection with well drilling apparatus to raise and lowerdrill pipe driving 'means. In such prior uses of the apparatus, thedrill driving means connected to the hook member 15 had to be elevatedan amount sufiicien-t to'permit workmen to stand a length of drill pipeupright and fit one end of the latter into the driving means.Thereafter, the driving means would be actuated to force the drill pipevertically into the ground until only a portion of its length remainedabove ground, whereupon the driving means and the drill pipe had to bedisconnected, the driving means reelevated and a new length of pipeconnected thereto in the manner previously described. This mode ofoperation is expensive because it requires the services of a pluralityof workmen inasmuch as one man cannot erect a length of drill pipe, fitit to its driving means, and condition it for readiness to drill.Apparatus formed in accordance with the present invention overcomes thisdisadvantage of known drilling rigs and, as is best shown in Figures3-6, comprises a spudder device which includes a housing 21 formed of apair of substantially parallel, spaced plate members 22, 2201, locatedin a substantially horizontal plane. The plate 22 is provided with asubstantially central opening 23 surrounded by an annular boss 24, andthe other wall 22a has an opening 25 in alignment with the opening 23and which is surrounded by an annular boss 26, the opening 25 being oflarger diameter than the opening 23.

Extending through the openings 23 and 25, and projecting beyond each ofthe plates 22, 22a is a hollow mandrel 28 which is bored longitudinallyas at 29. The mandrel 28 is provided with a peripheral flange 31 (seeFigure 5) which lies substantially in the plane of the plate 22a. An

annular cap member 32 is fixed to the boss 26 surrounding;

the opening 25 by means of bolts, two of which are shown at 33 in Figure5, the cap 32 having a depending flange 34 located inwardly of the boss26 and having fixed thereto an annular race 35 adapted to cooperate witha companion race 36 fixed to the mandrel 28 in mounting tapered rollerbearings 37. The boss 24 surrounding the opening 23 is counterbored toreceive a race 38 which cooperates with a companion race 39 fixed tomandrel 28 tomount tapered roller bearings 40 therebetween, theconstruction and arrangement of the parts thus far described being suchthat the mandrel 28 is rotatably mounted in the housing 21. Between theplates 22, 22a is fixed a cylindrical shell 41 by means of bolts 42, theshell surrounding the mandrel 28 and providing an oil chamber to whichoil may be introduced through a suitable port (not shown). The chamber43 is made fluid tight by means of sealing rings 44 and 45 mounted inengagement with the mandrel at the lower and upper ends, respectively,of the housing 21.

The housing 21 includes a bonnet 46 secured (to the plate 22a by meansof screws 47a and having an opening in its upper part for theaccommodation of a bored extension pipe 47. The major portion of thepipe 47 is received in a counter-bored portion 29a of the mandrel 28,the bore 48 of the pipe being in alignment and in communication with thebore 29 of the mandrel. Between the pipe 47 and the wall of the bore 29ais a packing gland and bearing assembly 49 composed of a plurality ofoil sealing rings 50, a lubricant ring 51 and bearing rings 52. Thepacking assembly is held in assembled relation by an annular cap 53fitted onto the threaded upper end of the mandrel 28.

A coupling member 54 of the so-called goose neck variety and having anattaching flange 55, is fixed to the bonnet 46 by means of bolts 56. Thecoupling member 54 has a bore 57 therethrough in alignment with the bore48 of the pipe extension 47 for a purpose yet to be explained, andbetween the coupling member 54 and the extension 47 is a seal 58.

Referring now particularly to Figure 3, the end of the mandrel which isremote from the coupling member 54 is provided with an internal, taperedthreaded section 59 into which a threaded end 60 of a drill pipe 61 maybe removably screwed. The part 61 has been and will be referred tothroughout this specification and the claim as a drill pipe, but itshould be understood that this is only for purposes of convenience indescribing the apparatus and that the part 61 may be not only a lengthof drill pipe, but also a length of casing, cutting tubing, and/orsucker rod, and the like.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention includes drivingmeans designated generally by the reference character 65 for rotatingthe mandrel 28 and the part 61 connected thereto. Referring particularlyto Figure 6, the driving means includes a supporting member 63 rigidlyconnected in any suitable manner to the cylindrical shell member 41between the plates 22 and 22a and in which is journalled, by means ofsuitable bearing assemblies 64, a drive transmitting shaft 65. One endof the shaft 65 projects through the shell 41 into the chamber 43 andhas fixed thereto, by suitable means such as a set screw 66, a bevelpinion gear 67 which meshes with a bevel gear 68 rigidly secured to theflange 31 on the mandrel 28 by means of bolts 69. The other end of theshaft 65 has fixed thereon, by suitable means such as a set screw 70, adriven sprocket wheel 71 around which is trained a sprocket chain 72(see Figure 3). The support 63 includes a mounting plate 73 on which ismounted a fluid motor 74 of known construction, the motor having a shaft75 mounted there in to be driven in response to the passage of pressurefluid through the motor. The shaft 75 mounts a sprocket pinion 76 aroundwhich the chain 72 also'is trained. Fluid inlet and outlet conduits 77and 78, respectively, are connected to the housing of the fluid motor 74by .4 a suitable coupling elements 79, the other end of the hoses 77 and78 being connected to a pressure fluid pump (not shown) of 'known kind.Preferably, the sprocket wheels and chain are covered by a suitableguard member 80 which may be secured to the mounting plate 73 by meansof bolts 81. The construction and arrangement of the parts forming thedrive mechanism 62 are such that the pumping of pressure fluid throughthe fluid motor 74 will drive or rotate shaft 75, and the rotation ofthe shaft 75 will be transmitted to the shaft 65 via the sprockets andchain. Rotation of the shaft 65 will eifect rotation of the mandrel 28via the gears 67 and 68 and also will effect rotation of the drill pipe61 connected to the mandrel. A particularly advantageous characteristicof the driving means 62 is that it is mounted on the housing 26 formovement with the latter instead of being located at some remote pointsuch as on the vehicle T.

Means for supporting the spudder 20 and its associated parts forvertical movements comprises a generally U-shaped hanger member 82having a pair of substantially parallel vertical arms 83 integrallyjoined to a cross-arm 84. At the free end of each arm 83 is an integra'lcollar 85 (see Figures 3 and 5) which is rotatably mounted by means ofroller bearing assemblies 86 on one end of a stub shaft 87. The otherend of each stub shaft 87 is received in a sleeve 88, and both the shaftand the sleeve are rigidly fixed in a block 89 secured at correspondingends of the plates 22, 22a by means of bolts 90. Seals 91 may beprovided at the ends of the collars 85 to prevent leakage of lubricantfrom the bearings 86.

An important characteristic of the invention is the pivoted mounting ofthe hanger member to the housing 21. This permits the spudder to tiltrelatively to the hanger about a substantially horizontal axis for apurpose yet to be described. Preferably, the pivotal connection of thehanger and the housing is substantially at the center of mass of thelatter so as to enable the spudder to be rocked relatively to the hangerwith ease. As is best shown in Figures 3 and 4, limit means comprising astud 92 is carried by one of the arms 83 and located in the path ofrocking movement of the adjacent -block 89 on the housing to preventrocking of the spudder more than about from the position shown in Figure3. Alternatively, the stop 92 could be mounted on the housing forengagement with a part of the hanger 82.

The cross bar 84 on the hanger 82 is formed with an eye 94 for receptionof the hook 15 of the hoist cable 14. When the cable 14 is connected tothe hanger 82, operation of the hoisting drum 16 will selectively effectraising and lowering of the spudder Ztl/betWeen the limits of itsvertical movement. To guide the apparatus during its vertical movementsand also to counteract torque, cooperable guide means indicatedgenerally by the reference character 95 in Figures 3 and 4 is providedon the mast and the hanger member. The guide means includes a pair ofparallel cables 96 each of which has a loop 97 at its upper end forreception of a post 98 anchored to one of the cross bars 9 on the mast7. The lower end of each cable 96 is wrapped around a bar 99' which maybe secured either to the mast 7 or to the vehicle T, the latterconstruction being shown in Figure 2. In any event, the cables 96 shouldbe so connected at their lower ends that they may be stretched taut andlie in a substantially vertical plane.

The cooperating guide means also includes a guide element 100 on each ofthe hanger arms 83. Preferably, each guide element 100 comprises a hingeleaf 101 rigidly secured to its associated hanger arm 83 and pivotallysecured to a hinge leaf 102 by means of a pivot pin 103. The hingeleaves are so formed that they may be swung from open position to closedposition, as shown in Figure 4, and form a cylindrical opening104,between the leaves for reception of a guide cable 96. The bowed hingeleaves may be maintained securely in closed position by means of a pin105 extending through cooperating loops formed on the respective leaves.

In operation, the mast 7 will be arranged in the manner shown in Figures1 and 2 so as to enable the spudder 20 to be raised and lowered directlyover the place where it is desired to drill a shaft. With apparatus inuse heretofore, the spudder had to be raised and a length of drill pipeerected and connected to the spudder before drilling operations couldbegin. Thereafter, the assembled drill pipe and spudder could be loweredto the point where the bit engaged the ground and boring begun. Withapparatus constructed in accordance with the invention, however, thespudder apparatus 20 may be lowered to the chain line showing in Figure1 and tilted relatively to the hanger member 82 about the axis of theparts 87, whereupon one end of a length of drill pipe lying on theground may be raised slightly and threaded into the rotatable mandrel28. This operation easily may be accomplished by one man. Thereafter,the hoist 16 may be operated to elevate the spudder 20, and elevation ofthe spudder will effect erection of the drill pipe 61. As the spudder iselevated, it will tilt relatively to the hanger member 82 due to theweight of the drill pipe, as is indicated by the full line showing inFigure 1. Thus, when the spudder is raised to a height sufiicient toenable the free end of the pipe 61 to clear the ground, the pipe willhang vertically in readiness for drilling, and drilling operations maybe begun by pumping pressure fluid to the motor 74 via the inlet hose77. The spudder will be guided by the guide means 95 which alsocounteracts torque.

As a length of drill pipe is rotated by the driving means 62 the bit(not shown) at the end of the first piece of drill pipe will tend tobore deeper into the ground, the hoist drum 61 being operated togradually lower the spudder and feed the pipe into the earth. When thespudder is in the chain line position shown in Figure 1, that is, at theend of a boring stroke, it may be disconnected from the drill pipesection and connected to another drill pipe in the manner previouslydescribed. There preferably will be a short section of the previouslyfed pipe extending above the ground, as shown at 6112 in Figure 1, tofacilitate connection of the next pipe section 61 to the precedingsection and, after the connection is made, the drilling operationproceeds as before. In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, drillpipes may be threaded at both ends, both internally and externally toenable either end to be fitted to the mandrel and the other end to befitted to another pipe length. Other means of connecting the pipes tothe mandrel and to each other may be employed, however.

As drilling operations proceed, drilling mud or other fluid may beintroduced to the coupling member 54 through a flexible conduit 106 andthis fluid will pass through the pipe extension 47 to the mandrel 28 andthence through the lengths of drill pipe 61 to flush cuttings away fromthe drill bit. Since the flexible tubes 77, 78, and 106 must travel withthe spudder, they conveniently may be anchored intermediate their endsat substantially the mid-point of the mast 7 as is indicated inFigure 1. This will permit minimum length hoses to be used and willenable the lower ends of the tubes to be guided downwardly by the mast 7to the pumps without the possibility of interfering with movements ofthe spudder.

The disclosed embodiment is representative of a presently preferred formof the invention, but is intended to be illustrative rather thandefinitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claim.

I claim:

In well drilling apparatus including a substantially vertical mastmember, a support member on which the mast member is supported, hoistmeans supported by said mast member, and means for operating said hoistmeans, the combination of a housing; a rotatable mandrel supported insaid housing and adapted for removable connection to a length of drillpipe; driving means connected to said mandrel for rotating the latter; asupporting hanger for said housing; means pivotally connecting saidsupporting hanger to said housing for rocking movement of the latterthrough substantially about a substantially horizontal axis; means onsaid supporting hanger for connection to said hoist means to enable thelatter to raise and lower said supporting hanger and said housing oversubstantially the full length of said mast member; a pair of parallel,substantially vertical guide elements located beyond the confines ofsaid mast member and extending substantially the full length of saidmast member; means anchoring said guide elements adjacent the upper andlower ends of said mast member; and cooperable guide elements fixedlymounted on said supporting hanger and releasably engaging said guideelements for guiding said supporting hanger and said housing in theirmovements by said hoist means.

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